Electrically-operated cigarette lighter



Feb 4, 1936- D. T. s. M LE NNAN 2,030,011

- ELECTRICALLY OPERATED CIGARETTE LIGHTER Filed June 16, 1934i 2 Sheets-Sheet l 1! a9 6 72 a U5 i 2 2' HHIHI bran/2r, Qummmcuvvzad. lam/wt, Ms. W

Patented Feb. 4, 1936 UNITED STATES ELECTRICALLY-OPERATED CIGARETTE LIGHTER Duncan Tod Sloane MacLennan, Balham, London, England, assignor to Germint Limited,

London, England Application June 16, 1934, Serial No. 730,984 In Great Britain August 3. 1933 11 Claims.

The present invention concerns improvements in or relating to electrically-operated cigarette lighters of the type (hereinafter referred to as the type specified) in which the cigarette end to be lighted is placed in a well or bucket in contact with an electric filament that is caused to glow.

In lighters of the type specified it is usual for the electric filament to be stretched across the bottom of the well so that the glowing filament lights the tobacco directly, when the latter is pressed against it. This has two disadvantages; firstly, with such a small lighting element as an electric filament an appreciable time is taken in lighting the tobacco; secondly, pressure of the cigarette end on the filament is apt to cause breakage of the latter both by reason of the direct pressure and also by reason of sudden temperature change when the heated filament is forcibly pressed by the cigarette end against its cold supporting base. As a result, the electric cigarette lighter has not obtained that popularity which its usefulness and handiness warrants.

Objects of the present invention are to provide a novel lighter of the type specified which shall be without these disadvantages.

The invention will become more fully apparent from the following description, in conjunction with the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, of one illustrative construction of lighter and one illustrative construction of combined lighter and cigarette case.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is an elevation partly in section of the lighter;

Fig. 2 is an elevation at right angles to Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan oi Fig. 1 with the lid open;

Fig. 4 is an underside plan of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a side sectional elevation of the combined lighter and magazine cigarette case;

Fig. 6 is an end sectional elevation of the case shown in Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a view of the lighting bucket (of Fig. 5) from the open end: and

Fig. 8 is a view from underneath in Fig. 5 of the lighting bucket and its support.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 4. a metal case ll contains a double dry battery l2, each part of which has an upper terminal I3; the two terminals I3 are Joined together by a metal strap I4. The lower terminals of the battery are connected together by a metal bow I5 which is attached by a headed stud IE to a plate II; the latter is held in place by the hooked ends I8 of the case II and can be removed by sliding it outwards, the

stud I5 sliding in a slot I9 in the bow I5; when the plate is removed from the hooks I8, it and the bow I5 can drop down to release the battery.

In the upper part 01' the case II is a basin composed of a fiat bottom 2I and a vertical wall 22. The bottom 2| carries an Internallythreaded sleeve 23 into which is screwed a pin 24, the head of which is surrounded by an insulating block 25. The block 25 rests on the strap ll. Between the block 25 and the bottom 2I is a spring plate 25 which is provided with a catch 21 to engage with a recess in the lid 29; it is provided also with a push button 30. Pressure on the button 30 releases the catch 21 and the opposite end 3i oi the spring plate pressing on the lid 29 forces it open about its hinge 32.

A light coiled spring 35 surrounding the sleeve 23 supports a metal carrier 31 which has a plurality of apertures (two in this case) for the reception of lighting buckets to be described; the apertures have their margins turned inwardly as at 39. The carrier 31 does not fit the sleeve 23, so the carrier can rock upon the top of the spring 35. The carrier is held in place on the sleeve by a U washer II which is slipped into a groove in the sleeve above the carrier.

Into each of the apertures in the carrier is placed a lighting bucket 5i of any shape desired, for example, one of a size to take an ordinary Virginia cigarette end and the other for an Egyptian or Turkish cigarette. A top-plate 42 is dropped onto the sleeve 23 and is held in place by a headed stud l3 screwed into the sleeve 23; the margins oi! the top-plate 42 are downturned as at M to contact with the upper ends of the vertical walls 22. Thus the bucket 5I is readily removable and replaceable ii the filament is damaged.

The bucket 5| will now be described. It comprises a brass cup 52, the open end being bellmouthed as at 53 to rest on the carrier 31, and the closed lower end passing through a hole 54 in the bottom 2|. The cup 52 has round its vertical wall four equally-spaced windows as 55. In the bottom of the cup is a piece of insulating material (for example porcelain) 55, provided at opposite sides with two vertical slots 51 and 58, each adjacent to a window 55. In the top surface of the porcelain 56 there are also two channels 59, 60 each adjacent to a window 55. A headed metal stud 62 passes upwardly through the bottom of the cup 52 and through the porcelain 56, and screws into a rectangular brass nut 63 which lies in a recess in the porcelain 56 with its upper surface about level with the top of the porcelain. An insulation washer is inserted between the head of the stud 52 and the cup 52.

Round the cup 52 is a metal band 1| which grips between it and the cup at opposite sides, two filaments 12. Each filament passes down across one of the windows 55 and inwardly to the rectangular nut 53 to which it is soldered. The windows 55, slots 51, 58 and channels 59, 60 permit air to reach the bottom and sides of the end of a cigarette in the bucket; the top surface of the insulation 56 takes the downward pressure of the cigarette and so protects the horizontal part of the filament from such pressure; by reason of the windows 55 the small lateral pressure on the filaments does not press them into contact with the side wall of the cup. The vertical parts of the glowing filaments contact with paper wrapping of the side of the cigarette end.

The operation is as follows:The button 30 is pressed and the lid 29 files open. A cigarette end is inserted into a lighting bucket (say the righthand one in Fig. 1) and is pressed downwardly so that the carrier 31 is tilted and the head of the right-hand stud 62 comes into contact with the strap H; thus the filaments are automatically caused to glow. Current flows from the battery, the circuit being as iollows:terminal I3, strap l4, stud 62, nut 63, filament I2, cup 52, topplate 42, wall 22, case ll, cover-plate ll, bow I5, and so to the other terminals of the battery. The user draws (sucks) on the projecting upper end of the cigarette and so causes the inflammable wrapping of the cigarette to light at opposite locations.

If the case II is not made of metal but of insulating material (for example, from a plastic material) then the filament is connected electrically to the bow i5 by appropriate means.

It will be observed that the bucket is readily replaceable; also, that the circuit is not completed except when a cigarette is pressed into the bucket, so inadvertent wastage of the batteries is avoided; also, that the circuit is automatically completed when the cigarette is pressed into the bucket; the filament first lights the paper wrapping of the cigarette which is more inflammable than the tobacco and only secondarily lights the tobacco, and consequently the lighting is effected much more rapidly than when the cigarette has to be lighted by lighting only the tobacco as in usual lighters.

It will be understood that a single battery could be used instead 01' two or more than two batteries; also, that a cigarette lighter according to the present invention could be arranged for operation by a household electric supply instead of by dry batteries; also, that the lighter could be combined with or form an attachment to an ornament or utensil; for example, the lighting bucket could be held in the hand of an ornamental figure and the electrical supply parts could be located inside the figure and could be operated by a button switch simulating a part of the figure.

Referring to Figs. 5, 6, 7, and 8, a magazine cigarette case 8| is made from a synthetic resin product and has a sliding lid 82; it could be made of metal or other suitable material. The case has a chamber 83 for the reception of an electric dry battery 84, two adjacent terminals being connected by a metal strap 85. Flanges 86, B1 overlap the ends of cigarettes as 88 to keep them in place. The cigarettes are pressed towards the chamber 83 by a pressure-bar 89 acted on by a leaf-spring 9|].

A sliding finger-piece 9| on the outside of the case is connected to a slider 92 inside the case; this slider is normally held by a spring 93 to the right in Fig. 5. The slider 92 has fixed to it an insulation bar 94 which carries a metal contact 95; to the free end of the contacts 95 is fixed a U-shaped metal carrier 95 provided with a groove 91 into which fits tightly a lighting bucket 98 similar to that previously described except that about one quarter of the brass cup is cut away above the porcelain and the wings thus formed are bent out so that the open end of the bucket is U-shaped (see Fig. 7), thus permitting the entry of the end of a cigarette from below in Fig. 5. The free end of the slider 92 has sufiicient spring to press upon the end of the bucket to help to hold it in place.

In order that the end of a cigarette may easily enter the bucket a ramp IBI is provided to raise the cigarette slightly.

When a cigarette is required the finger-piece Si is moved to the left in Fig. 5; this causes the bucket 98 to push a cigarette to the left partly out of the case; also the contact 95 contacts with the strap 85 and so causes the filament in the bucket to glow; the user draws on the exposed end of the cigarette which thereupon lights before the cigarette is completely removed from the case.

What I claim is:-

1. A cigarette lighter of the type specified comprising a bucket and an electric filament mounted at the side of the bucket in contradistinction to the bottom of the bucket so as to provide an extensive length of contact with the side surface of the cigarette wrapping.

2. A lighter according to claim 1 in which the bucket has in its side wall a plurality of filaments.

3. For an electric cigarette lighter, an igniting device comprising a bucket into which the end of a cigarette can be inserted and filament means disposed along the side wall of the bucket where it can contact with the side surface of the 'w apping of the inserted cigarette. 4. An electric cigarette lighter comprising a source of current, a fixed contact electrically connected therewith and an igniting device comprising a bucket into which the end of a cigarette can be inserted, filament means disposed at the side of the bucket and electrically connected with the source, a second contact electrically connected with the filament means and carried by the bucket in a position for co-operation with the fixed contact, and a resilient mounting for the bucket which permits the same to be depressed by an inserted cigarette, thereby bringing thesecond contact against the fixed contact and automatically completing the electrical circuit between the source and the filament means.

5. An electric cigarette lighter comprising a source of current, fixed contact means electrically connected therewith, two igniting devices each consisting of a bucket for receiving the end of a cigarette, filament means disposed at the side of the bucket and electrically connected with the source and a contact carried by the bucket for co-operation with the fixed contact means, and a resilient see-saw mounting for the buckets which permits either bucket to be depressed by an inserted cigarette, thereby bringing the associated contact against the fixed contact means and automatically completing the electrical circult between the source and the associated filament means.

6. For an electric cigarette lighter, an igniting device comprising a bucket open at one end and having an opening at one part of its side wall for the entry through said side wall of the end of a cigarette located with its axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the bucket, and filament means disposed at another part of the said side wall'of the bucket where it can contact with the surface oi. the wrapping of the entered cigarette.

7. For an electric cigarette-lighter, an igniting device comprising a bucket-shaped body with at least one longitudinally extending aperture in its side wall, and filament means mounted in the said bucket-shaped body and arranged to extend longitudinally of the said aperture where it will contact with the side-surface of the wrapping of a cigarette inserted in the bucket-shaped body.

8. For an electric cigarette-lighter, an igniting device comprising a bucket-shaped body with at least one aperture in its side wall, an insulating member closing the lower end of the said body, a contact-piece mounted centrally in the said insulating member, and filament means extending from the rim of the bucket-shaped body along the said aperture to the contact-piece.

9. For an electric cigarette-lighter, an igniting device comprising a bucket-shaped body with at least one aperture in its side wall, an insulating member in the lower end of the said body and having a slot across its inside face, and filament 5 means extending along the said body within the aperture and across the said member within the slot.

10. For an electric cigarette-lighter, an igniting device comprising a bucket-shaped body with at least one aperture in its side wall, an insulating member in the lower end 01' the said body and having a longitudinal slot registering with the aperture, and filament means extending along the side wall of the said body within the said aperture.

11. For an electric cigarette-lighter, an igniting device comprising a bucket-shaped body with a bell mouth and with longitudinally extending apertures spaced around its cylindrical wall, an 20 insulating plug disposed within the lower end of the said body and having, in register with the said apertures, longitudinal slots in its cylindrical face and cross-slots in its inside face, a central contact piece mounted in the said insu- 25 lating plug and filament means extending from the bell-mouth of the bucket-shaped body to the contact-piece by way of the apertures and a cross-slot.

DUNCAN TOD SLOANE MACLENNAN. 80 

